It has been a fruitless day for the black Khatta. He has diligently pursued every lead, real and imagined (by his luck, probably mostly imagined), taking him across Rephidim, through the good and the bad (mostly the bad). No sign of Eve anywhere. And by surreptitiously checking a few sources, he knows for sure she didn't just show up at home.

His latest lead, courtesy of a drunken Kavi, has taken him to a bar known as the Missing Shekel. It's night time. There are all sorts of scary, hungry-looking people about. He's had to flee a few of them already. If it weren't for his quick pace, he'd probably be dead. But this isn't just some tour. He's looking for his little sister.

Jynx, for the umpteenth time it seems, reenters the Missing Shekel. He hopes that crazy Jupani isn't still mad…

The black Khatta sighs. He's been here for hours now, and nothing. This must have been another dead end. He saunters over to the bar, sits, and unhappily put his face in his paws, elbows on the bar surface.

Hmm. Maybe this ISN'T the same bar he's been in before. But then, 'The Missing Shekel' is such a … well … bland name. Almost generic, by most standards.

A scarred and generally unpleasant-looking (and smelling) creature who MIGHT be a Jupani is apparently the barkeep/bartender/chief fixer of this place. He slides up to the bar. He doesn't even ask Jynx what he wants. He just gives Jynx this uncomfortable stare.

Jynx gazes across the room. No one here seems to know about the kidnapping (well, this one at least.) He sighs and turns, only to meet the unpleasant stare of the Jupani.

Jynx says, "Oh, uhhh, h-hello sir… n-nice night, neh?"

An aging vixen – or maybe it's just a fox in drag – eyes Jynx and licks her chops. Or gums. Well, it's sort of half-and-half, what with all the missing teeth.

The Jupani, meanwhile … still stares at Jynx.

Jynx shudders. He HOPES Eve wasn't taken to a place like this.

Jynx thinks, and avoids the gaze of the wolf. "Uhh, I guess I should order something, right?" he asks.

The wolf grunts.

Jynx nods, that has to be a yes. "Well, how about some w-water to start off? I mean, I just haven't, er, made up my mind yet… "

The wolf growls something that might translate as "One shekel." Or maybe "The bats are flapping in Hempersdam." It can't just be a bad accent.

Jynx hmmms, seems reasonable. Especially when this wolf could probably tear him limb from limb. He places a shekel on the counter, then musters up a bit of courage. "Oh, by the way, you haven't seen a little white kitten come in here, have you? Possibly with a Templar guard? No reason in particular, just curious."

The wolf growls something which might be, "Ain't got no white kittens here."

Jynx sighs. He thought not. "Well, thanks anyroad."

The vixen shambles up next to Jynx. Her breath smells stale, almost dead. "Meow," says she.

Jynx cringes back at the repugnant vulpine. "Oh, um, hi." He eyes for an escape route.

If Jynx made a mad dash, he could probably make it. The vulpine, after all, does not look like a formidable, physical danger.

However … he notices that he has several strangers staring at him. Are they all mad? Are those the looks of wild beasts, eager for a kill?

And then, there's that fellow at the counter right next to Jynx. He's been sitting there a long time. A horse, also known as a Rhian. He just SITS there, slumped over the counter. At first glance, it appeared he was just drunk … but he's TOO still.

Jynx begins to inch away from the fox. "Well, itsbeenverynicetalkingtoyoubutIhavetogonowbye." He decides to chance the roughs, and bolts.

The door is closed. In the time it takes to try to open it … it's evident that there's a little matter of physical strength to overcome, in the form of another Jupani holding it closed.

Jynx skids to a halt. o O( Great. Just great! ) He begins to shake visibly. "So, how is everyone this night?"

This wolf, a patch over one eye, growls, "Hey, kitty, where ya goin' so fast? Ya know, when ya run, I kin hear yer purse jangle."

Jynx looks around "Purse? What purse? This is just my, err, my glass bit collection!"

A white rat with pink eyes shambles over toward Jynx and the wolf as well. "Fine. Just fine," he says with a toothy grin. "Let's see those glass bits, eh? I'm curious."

There's a loud knock on the front door, which is currently bodily blocked by the one-eyed wolf.

Jynx thinks "Well, umm, you can't! I mean, they're pretty sharp y'know. Might cut your paw… "

Jynx looks to the door. o O( Great, now what? )

Meanwhile, a very large Naga has slithered out from under a table, and has come over to eye Jynx. He flicks out his tongue, tasting the air.

Jynx moans mentally, imagining himself on a spit with an apple in his mouth.

There are plenty of other patrons, too. Some drunk (and having been parted with their worldly possessions), some dead (and often previously drunk), some who might as well be dead, and some who are (unfortunately, perhaps), still alive.

The Naga hisses, "Little kitten. You come to Misssssing Ssssshekel, eh? You think you brave? You know about Missssing Ssssshekel? You play game?"

Jynx says, "Umm, maybe you should get the door? I mean, it's never good to keep a fellow customer waiting… "

There's a shout from outside, largely muffled by the interposing obstacles. "If this door doesn't open, I'm coming THROUGH it! And through whomever is on the other side, too!"

Jynx looks at the Naga "G-game? I d-don't know any that you might like, b-but… "

Jynx is a loss for words. o O( Mental note: Never trust strange Kavis when they say they know something about little kidnapped sisters. )

The Naga flicks out his (or her? Who can tell?) tongue, then continues, "Misssssing Sssshekel hassss the highessssst body count in all Darksssssside. But we're running sssssshort. We're tied with the Gilded Monkey. But … a tiebreaker, yessssss?"

Jynx gulps audibly. "W-well, there's nothing wr-rong with being second, you know… "

The pounding on the door continues, more insistently. This makes the one-eyed wolf considerably annoyed, and he lifts the spy-panel and barks out some obscenities at whomever is outside.

The Naga's neck flickers and shakes … spreading out into a cobra's hood, as he hisses. "SSSSSSecond? SSSSSECOND?!?" His head begins to bob back and forth. Venom drips from his bared fangs.

"I-I mean, its an honor just to be nominated!" Jynx sees no way out of this one…

The patrons begin chanting, "Kill the Khat! Kill the Khat! Kill the Khat!" Mugs are banged on tables. Hysterical laughter echoes from nooks and even from under tables.

THAT'S one race that's missing here right now. No Khattas. Or Katthas. No Savanites, either, except for a couple of spotted skins hanging on the wall.

Jynx moans out loud this time. o O( I wish Chipper were here! ) He looks for a possible weapon – after all, what could it hurt?

There's another bang on the door, this time enough to send the wolf sprawling. He bumbles into the Naga, who hisses loudly and wriggles free.

Jynx notices the absence of Khattas for the first time, and tries (unsuccessfully) to back away. "So, I t-take it you guys aren't c-cat people… "

The door, however, is still shut, a bar set across it. A few pieces of wood splinter free. Someone IS coming through the door.

Jynx shoots a glance at the door.

The Naga recovers from being hit by the wolf, and makes a swipe at Jynx's collar with a clawed hand. The cat doesn't even have to think about it, though – Instinctively, he avoids the snake's clutch, earning an annoyed hiss. A couple of thrown mugs bounce and clatter against the walls and floor nearby.

Jynx darts for any cover he can find, noting that when he visits Darkside next time (if there IS a next time) to mark this off his 'to visit' list.

The most immediate cover that presents itself would be to dash behind a tall stack of crates. Out of the corner of his eye, Jynx can read something on one of the crates that looks like a warning label and something about "Wild Eeps". The box has several holes cut in it. But there's no time to ponder about that. Behind the crates are a couple of prone forms slumped over a table, each one of them with a dagger sticking out of the back. For the detail-minded, one is a Kavi, and the other is a Skreek. For some odd reason, each one has a hand clutching the knife in the back of the other. That looks like quite a feat.

Jynx shakes the image of the dead-duo out of his mind. Without another thought, he pushes on the crates in an attempt to knock them over.

At this moment, there is a sound of shattering wood, and then a voice shouting at the patrons, though the crates block a view of the goings-on, and the hoots and whistles and return shouts drown out what's being said. By the crashing and clashing noises, melee has ensued.

The one-eyed wolf runs about, just as the crates come falling down. He cries out in alarm, briefly, but … is still standing. The big, tough, muscular wolf just LAUGHS at the black Khatta, then licks at a big, nasty knife he has drawn, and readies to slash at Jynx in the somewhat confined space.

Jynx only half-listens to the noises, and continues pushing on the crates as hard as he can.

Some more crates topple, though they have no real effect on the wolf. Some lids have come off, though, spilling out the most pitiful-looking birds Jynx has ever seen.

They all have little hoods on their heads, though some have fallen off as part of the "accident". They have puny little bodies, long tail-feathers, bright plumages … and ridiculously oversized eyes. Some of the birds open their eyes and look about, taking in their surroundings. They let out anguished "Eep!" noises.

Jynx blinks, since he has nothing else to use, he decides to throw these strange things. o O( Can't see how a googly-eyed feather duster can help, but beggars can't be choosers! )

There's something very alarming about the way the little birds begin vibrating. Perhaps it's not very good to stay around them. They might carry some sort of disease, after all…

"EEP!" "EEEEEEEEEEEEP!"

Jynx hmmms, nope, he doesn't want to stay and find out. He leaps to his feet, and makes a dash for the door.

The wolf swipes at Jynx with the knife … but just then … the "eeps" dissolve into … a loud explosion?

The force knocks Jynx sideways, and he feels several sharp pains in his back and hindquarters, as if he has just been stuck with a multitude of little stinging darts.

As Jynx hits the floor, he can see that the door is now hanging in broken bits – half of it still on the hinges, and the other half in pieces on the floor. A couple of bodies lie in the way, but otherwise, it appears a means of escape is available.

To the left … the door to the street. To the right, a whirling dervish with a sword in each hand is wreaking havoc on the patrons of the inn.

Jynx makes an attempt to stand, but pain shoots though his whole body, and he collapses back down to the ground.

Jynx, panting hard, begins to crawl to the door, deciding to face the elements instead of cold chitin.

For the moment, it seems that Jynx's enemies are distracted. The wolf doesn't seem to be coming after him. In fact, the wolf's dagger is presently imbedded in the wall right above Jynx's head. What luck! It must have been blown away, but avoided the Khatta! Urk … except that he feels a bit of a pain on his scalp, as if he got a scratch there and only just now noticed it. (The pain in his backside must have distracted him.)

Jynx paws his head. Well, he's not dead at least! He crawls to the dagger, and works at prying it out, all the while viewing the carnage just a few paces away.

The dagger pulls free with just a little bit of convincing. It's a jagged, crude chitin weapon, the pommel much more refined than the blade. In fact, it probably used to be a sword, but lost a great deal of its length along the way. Its broken, jagged nature may not make it all that practical … but it looks quite scary, at least. Just a bit more to crawl, and Jynx should be able to reach the door. He'll only have to crawl over some broken bits of door, a fallen Naga, and a fallen Skreek.

There is a flash of magenta to the right, in the main area of the inn, amongst all the melee. Several patrons are fleeing, but plenty are eager to fight … and paying for it dearly.

The pain in Jynx's backside is still there … but it's such that he could probably stand now. He had just be careful about running too fast just yet – not until he has a chance to have a healer look at it, to make sure he doesn't hurt himself further by pushing it.

Jynx gazes at the newcomers. o O( Great! Adding insult to injury! ) He decides that there is only one option that is brave enough, smart enough, and cunning enough to work: play dead. He crawls over to the fallen Naga, and tries to get underneath it.

Jynx watches the crimson clad female felines, and waits under the Naga until their backs are turned.

No … there's only one feline in the midst of the fray. Though, with how fast she's moving, she might as well be more than one. There's something bizarre about her fighting stance. Jynx may not have a soldier's training, but what he knows of combat, this seems to fly in the face of. … sword-fighting that looks good on a stage is not how you fight in a real battle – and win, anyway.

Jynx blinks. This is strange indeed. He decides to forget about the door for the moment, and watches the Khatta. o O( What's wrong here? )

The Khatta, as Jynx observes … is dancing. Her 'partners' in this dance, though, aren't doing so well.

Jynx, still under the dead Naga, watches intently. Wait, is this Blossom? If it is, and she's THIS good a fighter, then his days are numbered. He hunkers under the Naga a bit more, and peers out, as inconspicuous as possible.

It's a dance with two slightly-curved metal swords, wielded in wide, slashing arcs, an offhand blade being pulled back and twirled about for what couldn't be anything other than show. The armored warrioress yells, "It is MY duty to dispose of the black Khatta!" – and then proceeds to eliminate her competition.

The Naga is out cold. However … the white Skreek stirs. He evidently has not escaped this unscathed, but at the sight of Jynx, there's a feral glint that flashes into his pink eyes, and he grins as he brings up a dagger. "You're MINE," he chitters.

Jynx sighs, it IS her. Now how is he going to get out of this? Then he thinks… this is who kidnapped his sister – He has a few words to speak with her, sword or no sword!

The brave feeling sinks as the Skreek wakes. Jynx quickly pushes off the Naga (best he can) a prepares to parry the rat's swing.

Perhaps Jynx has been having more than his share of bad luck lately, and this is to help even out the balance. Whatever the cause … Jynx's parry with the jagged knife is quick and sure, and the broken bits of the dagger serve well to catch the incoming blade. A quick twist … and the Skreek is disarmed … and Jynx now has two blades. The Skreek takes a few seconds to even realize what has happened.

Jynx, now armed and feeling slightly more vigorous (probably due to adrenaline) jumps to his feet, making a wide arc between Blossom and the Skreek. He turns to the other Khatta, and a few tears spring to his eyes. "You maniac! What did you do to Eve?"

The armored Khatta glances to Jynx, slashes a few times at a stubborn mutant Naga, then just kicks him back, sending the opponent reeling. For the moment, there are no opponents within arm's reach. She stops and turns to face the black Khatta.

Jynx shakes angrily. He could probably make the door now, but he wants to face this fanatic. "Tell me!"

"You must be disposed of," the knight proclaims, matter-of-factly. "You have eluded capture. It was necessary to find a means of drawing you to me. Events did not transpire as planned … but here you are. Are you ready to meet your fate? It seems you have tricked Death too many times. I see now the wisdom of the First Ones."

"JYYYYYYNX!" cries out a kitten's voice, from the direction of the door to this less-than-savory establishment.

Jynx looks as though he is about to reply, but stops and turns to look at the door. "Eve?! Where are you!"

Standing in the doorway now is a brown-furred Skreek. He's got a patch over one eye. Those must be in style here. He is also clutching a little white kitten in a white dress with pink trim. (In fact, it's almost magenta, but that would be too ironic.)

"Eve!" yells the black Khatta. He turns to Blossom, then back to the Skreek. His eyes tear up once again, "If you hurt her I'll-, I'll… "

The white kitten tugs angrily away from the Skreek. "Lemme go! You smell funny!"

The Naga behind Blossom gets over being stunned, and rushes toward the armored Khatta from behind. She smacks the Naga in the face with an off-hand punch of a gauntlet. She doesn't even look as the Naga wavers and collapses to the floor. "You'll what?" she asks rhetorically.

The rat just grins at the kitten. "Now, now, that's no way to talk, child," he says in a condescending tone of voice. "Don't you have any manners?"

Jynx hesitates. What will he do? He drops his daggers, and lowers his head. "You win, you win… "

Eve's legs kick angrily in the air. "I don' think I like your girliefriend, Jynx." She scowls at the rat and makes her best 'NYAAAAH!' face.

Blossom makes a short bow to Jynx. "I will remember that, in the end, you went honorably."

Jynx eyes tear up even more. "Whatever. Just let her go." He sighs, and looks over to Eve.

Blossom readies a blade. "Have you any last words, Feli Kurai, also known as 'Jynx'?"

Eve wails as loudly as she can and starts pedaling her legs even harder. "Lemmegolemmegolemmegolemmego!"

*rip*

Jynx says, "Only a question: Why would the First Ones have you do this? What does it accomplish?""

The Skreek fumbles about, trying to get a better hold on the kitten, as her patched-up sleeve tears at the seam. "HEY!"

Jynx glances over at his now free sister. o O( Free? SHE'S FREE! RUN YOU IDIOT! )

Blossom lowers the blade a bit. "That, I do not fully understand. But it is not for us to fully understand. The Knights Templar are to be tools. We do not make the decisions. We are a finely tuned sword in the hands of the Temple, acting to perform the will of the First Ones, by their intercession." Sounds like a speech, almost.

Jynx nods, and stalls for time while inching to his sister. "Interesting. Please, enlighten me, tell me more." He looks to see if he can grab Eve and make a run for it.

The white kitten starts squirming madly, trying to get free. She gives the Skreek a good hard *chomp* on the hand and rushes towards Blossom. "Don' you be mean to my brother!" she yowls, pouncing at a book on her belt.

Jynx sighs. So much for escape now!

"But even the Temple can be fallible," says Blossom. "That is why I seek direction from the First Ones themselves. And I find it by … STOP!" She instinctively slashes with the blade, then lets out a loud EEP! and diverts her own attack, so that she does not hit the kitten!

The thick tome on the belt comes free … A wooden chain links it to the belt, but it has been damaged in the melee … and one of the links breaks. The tome comes free in the hands of the kitten.

Jynx YIPES! That's just plain too much! Forgetting his hurt leg, he bolts for Eve.

The rat, meanwhile, is holding his bitten hand and uttering a stream of unwholesome curses.

Eve tumbles backwards and hits the ground with a soft *thud*, the book clutched tightly in her hands.

On his way over, Jynx remembers to stoop down and grab one of the daggers.

Blossom looks to be at a loss for how to react to the kitten, having a sword in each hand. "STOP!" she yells again. "By law … this act would earn you death!" Her voice wavers as she makes this warning, and she doesn't look quite so ready to deliver such judgement herself.

Jynx scoops up Eve, snatches the book in one hand, and readies a dagger. "Come any closer and the book bites the big one!"

Jynx puts Eve on him piggy-back, just to make handling things a bit easier.

"BLASPHEMY!" the knight cries out. She hesitates, then laughs. "But there's no way you can cut through the cover. Put down the book."

Eve blinks, and hugs Jynx tightly around the neck. "I knew you'd save me from the stinky 'ol rats!"

Jynx thinks – then opens the book. "Then the pages'll get it!"

"Wait'll I tell Daddy!" the kitten mews happily.

Blossom shrieks! "STOP! You CAN'T! You … you will invite the anger of the First Ones not only on yourself but on your whole household!"

"Not now, Eve!" Jynx whispers back.

Jynx thinks again – He needs to use a bit of reverse psychology, it seems. "No they won't! It's YOUR duty to protect the book, and YOU failed! So YOU get the wrath!"

"That book is a relic of times immemorial! It contains ancient secrets … hand-copied by the finest scribes. You – " Blossom gasps. "That … That's ABSURD! How can you argue like that?"

Eve starts making ugly faces at Blossom from Jynx's back. "Meanie meanie meanie meanie!" she chants.

"Its true! Aren't you sworn to protect the values of the First Ones?" Jynx asks.

The knight protests, "You can't! I gain my instruction from the First Ones through that sacred tome! Do you realize what you threaten? You will never have a place in the Procession!"

Jynx says, "Well, I guess I'll have to take my chances then!"

Eve mews, "But he already hassa place in the Procession… a pretty star wif polka dots. Feli tol' me so… "

Blossom looks at Eve. Beneath that armored face mask, she's probably blinking several times at the kitten.

All the while, Jynx inches towards the door, one eye on the Skreek.

The Skreek is still moaning and howling at the pain in his hand. It can't POSSIBLY be THAT bad. He must be angling in some obscure way for better pay on account of injuries suffered while employed.

Jynx says, "After all, you took an oath – I didn't!"

The knight hisses. "How … how DARE you! Such cowardly behavior! Have you no honor?"

"At the moment?" Jynx thinks. "Nope, I'm afraid I don't. Now let us leave, or you'll never hear from the First Ones again!"

Eve peers down at the Skreek. "An oath? Issat like swearing? Mommy tol' me to never swear, it'll make your teeth fall out."

The Skreek snarls back at Eve. Hmm. He IS missing several teeth. Maybe Mama has some wisdom to share to young kittens after all.

Jynx just ignores Eve for the moment being, and readies his dagger in case the Skreek disagrees with the possibility of escape.

With a clatter, the knight's blades drop to the floor. "So be it. But when we next meet, I will give you no quarter. You have had your last words – and then some."

Jynx finally makes it to the door. "Well, I'll be sure to bring the party favors next time, but now I have to be on my way." He inches out the door, making a threatening face at the Skreek.

The Skreek is so busy putting on a show that he misses Jynx's retreat.

Eve tugs at Jynx's ear. "She promised she'd be nice. Why dontcha give her her dumb 'ol book back. It prolly doesn't have any pictures innit anyhow."

"Here, catch!" Jynx tosses the book over to where the last of the surviving eeps are, then turns and runs down the street as best he can. Maybe now would be a smart time to say 'hi' to Mom and Dad.

There's a sound of some more "EEPS!" and some explosions inside the establishment, along with a loud and long shriek from a certain female Khatta knight, as Jynx makes his escape. Well! THAT was a fine distraction…

Eve clings to her brother's shoulders tightly.

Jynx just keeps running, with Eve on his back. "The things I go through for you! You better be nice to me for a while!"

"Does this mean that the wuffy that lives in your room is gonna haveta move out now?"

Several seedy individuals look at the disaster … look at Jynx … and keep their distance from the black Khatta. After all … aren't black Khattas bad luck?